The Timeless Contracts
by tarnath
Summary: As the great powers of Valoran clash in yet another war, a secret organization presses forward with its vision for the future. Champions from across Runeterra and beyond struggle to shape the fortunes of their nations and the world. Meanwhile, in Ionia, a nine-tailed fox sleeps peacefully in the forest, the sun warm on her face...
1. 1 - The Forest

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The Timeless Contracts

Chapter 1 - The Forest

"Hey Ahri, how do souls taste?"

Snapped from her peaceful slumber, the foxgirl swiftly looked around, scanning the forest to see where the voice was coming from. After a moment of panicked searching, she was astonished to discover a woman with pale skin and blue-green hair reclined on a tree branch just above her, grinning. A purple tattoo mark cut across the woman's face, while her green tunic and tall armored boots marked her as a stranger in the forests of southern Ionia.

Ahri studied the woman, wondering how she knew her name, until a flash of recognition struck her. With a yelp, the foxgirl stumbled backwards as she readied her magic orb to defend herself from the intruder. She had to escape!

"Delicious, I imagine," the pale woman went on, seemingly oblivious to the attack the foxgirl was preparing. "How many have you consumed since we last met? Scores, at least. Maybe even hundreds!"

Taking a deep breath to calm her trembling hands, Ahri hurled the orb at the woman – one attack, just to stun her, then she could flee… The orb sailed through the air, crackling with magical power.

But the strange woman merely waved a finger and the orb instantly froze in place.

"No!" the foxgirl moaned as she took off running through the forest, her nine tails streaming behind her. But after a few strides, she felt her limbs tense, and then stop completely. She jolted to a halt, unable to take another step. With an effort, Ahri craned her head around and watched with alarm as the pale figure jumped off the branch and approached her.

"So the stories from the village were true," the woman said as she rubbed her hands together gleefully. "There _is_ a fetching young lass traveling in these woods! And with magical powers, too..." She stopped before the immobilized foxgirl and gently raised a hand to caress the thin whisker lines on her captive's check. "I've been looking forward to this for a while," she purred as Ahri flinched away.

"Please…please…let me…down…" the foxgirl begged, her throat tight with fear. The woman pulled her hand away and Ahri immediately collapsed to the ground. She briefly considered trying to escape again. But where would she go? She was a wanderer; she had no friends to which she could turn. With her ears drooped in defeat, Ahri looked up at the woman. "W-what do you want with me now?"

The woman knelt so she was level with her prisoner. She waved at the frozen orb. It floated over to them and Ahri took it without a word. "Oh Ahri… You truly are as beautiful as I remember," she said with a smile, staring right into the foxgirl's amber eyes. "Has it really been ten years?"

Ahri looked away from her inviting gaze without giving an answer.

"What?" the woman asked, unfazed. "Don't you remember your old friend Timeless?"

"I-I remember," Ahri stuttered, glancing back at the pale woman. "W-why are you here?" she asked, though she already knew why.

"We had a deal, Ahri," Timeless answered, bounding to her feet. Then a dark look crept over her face as she looked down menacingly at the foxgirl. "It's been a decade. Your debt is due now. I'm here to collect!"

Ahri clutched the orb to her chest as she looked up at Timeless anxiously; it was as she feared. With her endless travels through the forests of Ionia, Ahri had pushed nearly all thoughts of the deal from her mind, though its shadow had still lingered there, a reminder that this day would eventually come. "D-debt?" she stammered, struggling to think of a way out of the situation.

Timeless laughed. "Silly Ahri! I know you remember! But maybe this will jog your mind..." She produced a scroll and held it up for Ahri to see.

The document was just as she remembered. The great wall of text in the human's language remained incomprehensible to her, but there could be no mistake when she saw the bottom of the contract – a single canine pawprint affixed to the signature line. For so long, she had struggled to forget the hazy details of that agreement, and the depths of despair that had led to her signing it. "I-I was desperate!" Ahri pleaded as she thought back to the days after her transformation. "I just wanted to stay human…"

Absorbing the life essence of a dying Noxian battle mage had let Ahri fulfill her unique ambition of leaving the animal world behind and joining the human one, but when she started turning back into a fox several weeks later, she panicked. The few friends she had made fled in terror. Ahri was left alone with no idea what to do. It was only when she found herself wandering in the forest, wiping tears from her human face with vulpine paws as the transformation undid itself, that Timeless appeared with her offer. Ahri had hastily agreed to the deal, giving little thought to how she could fulfill her obligation. The price had not mattered at the time. But now, with her creditor staring her in the face...

"A contract's a contract!" Timeless declared happily. "Shall we discuss the details of your repayment?"

Ahri glanced at Timeless, then decided to make another dash for it. She _had_ to escape! In an instant, the foxgirl was speeding through the woods, scattering birds and insects in her wake. Her magic made her faster than most, but not fast enough. This time she heard a rush, like wind over a meadow, and as before, found herself frozen midstride by a spell.

"Oh Ahri, Ahri, Ahri…" the pale woman sighed as she walked over to the frozen foxgirl. "I'm afraid our agreement did not contain an escape clause," she lectured, waving the contract. "You were quite specific with your wish and more than happy to accept the terms my organization offered in exchange for granting it; we helped you for ten years, now you will do the same for us!" Timeless released the spell holding her in place, again letting her captive tumble to the ground. "The power to consume a soul is not one we hand out lightly, I might add."

Anger flashed through the foxgirl's eyes as she glared up at Timeless. "You never said it would be murder!" she spat. "You never told me what taking a human life would cost!"

Timeless shrugged. "That's just the way it works. Besides, there are plenty of people out there! Does taking a few really matter?"

"...Yes," Ahri answered, reflective and sullen as the memories weighed upon her. "I remember every face, every name, all those lives I cut short..."

"Hmm, then I guess that _does_ seem kinda important to you," Timeless said, cocking her head to one side in amusement. "But don't you think you shoulda considered that _before_ signing the contract?"

Ahri shook her head sadly. "My mind was more fox than human then. Taking another life to sustain my own wasn't that big of a deal. Foxes consume other animals all the time to survive, right? I thought this was just the same. At first. But as I saw more and more of the human world-"

"You realized you'd become a depraved monster, consuming the souls of people's loved ones just to keep yourself from transforming back into a fox for a little while longer," Timeless finished for her. "I bet the humans completely shunned you from their settlements too, huh?"

The foxgirl gave a slight nod. "I could never stay in a town for more than a day or two. That's why I've been wandering Ionia for the last ten years, going from village to village. No friendship or family, only the victims that I..." she trailed off.

"Hmm, it looks like your decade of freedom didn't go quite as planned, then. Oh well," Timeless said with a shrug. "Not our fault you didn't understand that at the time. We just gave you what you asked for: a way to stop from transforming back into a fox. But at least you got to stay human, right?" she replied, playfully grabbing the end of one of Ahri's tails.

The foxgirl jerked it back defensively.

"Well, mostly human. But at least for the important parts!" Timeless cut an hourglass figure through the air with her hands. "I was gonna ask how you got close enough to people to take their life essence, but I got it figured out," she said, making a kissing motion with her lips. "Must be great having work you can enjoy! How far do you have to go before you can take a guy's life essence? Just a kiss? Or do you-"

"It's nothing like that!" Ahri cut in defensively, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Timeless looked at her skeptically. "You mean to say that you _didn't_ use those stunning looks of yours to seduce guys to get at their souls?"

"Well, it isn't always like that," the foxgirl admitted. "I just... find it helpful. At times. Lots of times. But I don't need to do that to take their essence! It just... makes things easier."

"Such modesty with you Ionians!" Timeless mocked. "There's nothing to be ashamed of! Besides, you're gorgeous, Ahri. Swap out those old peasant rags for a red silk dress, let your hair grow out a bit, maybe get some nice boots, and you would fit in at any royal palace in Runeterra. _Everyone_ would find you irresistible! Gods know I do!"

"T-thanks," Ahri mumbled, looking away. "But what do you care? About what I wear or who I... lay with?"

The pale woman spread her arms as she explained. "I care because you're my property now, and even though you're beautiful, you're still limiting my options," she said sweetly, waving the contract. "The pirates in Bilgewater would have payed royally for a young maiden. Now, they'd still take you, but I wouldn't get nearly as much, even with your looks. So that's not Plan A anymore," she finished with an exasperated sigh. "What _am_ I going to do with you for the next ten years?"

The foxgirl stared at her, mouth agape. "You wanted to... _sell_ me for... _that_?" She shook her head in disbelief. Would Timeless really sell her? Could she? What had she gotten herself into? Ahri just did not know. Once the shock wore off, she composed herself and pointed at the contract as a desperate idea came to her. "What...exactly are the terms?"

"Simple!" Timeless answered as she turned to the contract. "We gave you the power to take human life essence so you wouldn't turn back into a fox – leaving the exact method up to you, of course," she said with a wink, "and after one decade of enjoying your life, you become ours! Now to be honest, I hadn't really decided what we'd do with you after that. The Bilgewater thing wasn't even my first choice. Also, there are-"

In an instant, Ahri reignited the magical energy of her orb, and in one practiced motion, launched it directly at the contract as Timeless held it before her. She refused to be a slave! If she could only destroy that contract and escape, Timeless might think it too much trouble to find her and then just leave her alone. Distracted with the question, Timeless was too slow to react. The orb tore through the contract, incinerating the document and burning Timeless's hands before continuing on into the forest.

Timeless peered at Ahri with a hurt expression. "Now is that any way to treat-" Her sentence was cut off by the orb's return flight. It glided in from the forest and slammed into Timeless's back. She went sprawling on the ground as the magical energy washed over her body, singeing her clothes and hair. Ahri leapt gracefully to catch the orb, then made a dart for a nearby streambed as Timeless struggled to stand.

Ahri was making her way along the stream when a spear of energy shot through the brush ahead of her. She dropped to her belly just in time as a second bolt pierced the air where she'd been a moment before. With no other choice, Ahri decided to launch her most devastating attack. She lunged up out of the stream, preparing to douse Timeless with a barrage of magical energy before disappearing into the woods.

But Timeless was ready now; another energy shot grazed Ahri's leg, make her stumble. As she hit the ground, Ahri yet again found herself immobilized by Timeless's attack. She had tried three times to escape, and three times, Timeless proved superior. Sad, humiliated and defeated, Ahri remained on her knees, head downwards, even as Timeless lifted the spell. She should have known that simply destroying the contract document would not free her from its obligations...

Timeless bounded over to Ahri, laughing much of the way. "Brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT!" she exclaimed gleefully, setting her hands on the foxgirls shoulders and looking her straight in the face. "I knew developing some magical talent was a possible side effect of soul consumption, but I've never seen any like that! Ahri, do you know what this means?"

Ahri shook her head, confused and worried.

"It means I figured out what to do with you!" she said with a grin. "I won't have to sell you to Bilgewater after all! Now do that thing with the orb again." Timeless pointed to a nearby tree stump. "Think you can hit that?"

The foxgirl looked at Timeless suspiciously for a moment, then shrugged. She ignited the orb again and heaved it at the stump. It was an easy shot. The stump shattered with a loud report that sent birds scattering from the forest. Only charred remnants were left on the ground to mark where the stump had been.

"That!" Timeless exclaimed. "That's what I can do with you!"

Ahri looked to the smoldering ground, then back to Timeless as a realization came to her. "You want me for my magic?" She paused as a smile grew across her face. The years of traveling on her own had given Ahri endless opportunities to practice with the magical orb she could conjure out of nothingness. She was proud of all that she'd learned to do with it, and had even come to rely on the object to defend herself, when the need arose. "You mean, not many people can do that?"

Timeless clapped her hands together. "Very few people can do what you do, Ahri. You're something special. _Really_ special. Which is why I have a new offer! Come back with me to my organization, and we'll help you out; you won't have to hunt down innocent people and consume their souls just to remain human!"

"An offer? You mean another contract?" Ahri asked warily as her smile disappeared.

"Of course!" Timeless answered, producing a new scroll. "You just zapped your old contract. If you didn't like it, you should have just said so!"

Ahri blinked. "…That doesn't make any sense!" she cried. "Contracts don't work that way! Even _you_ said that!"

"Well, I _could_ bring back our old contract... if you're that anxious to go to Bilgewater," Timeless said with a smirk, then laughed as Ahri shuddered. She turned back to the scroll. As she waved her finger over it, sections of text began to appear. "But I'm being nice since you're technically between contracts at the moment. So, how about you agree to help us out from time to time with your magic? In return, you won't have to steal any more souls to stay human! I mean, you could if you want to; it actually sounds kinda fun-"

Ahri shook her head forcefully. "No. No more contract. If the old one has ended, then I'm done." She turned and began walking away, amazed that her plan seemed to have work.

"No...more...contract?" Timeless stood in shock for a moment, then ran after her. "Wait! You can't do that! I just wanna help-"

The foxgirl suddenly turned on her, feeling empowered by her victory. She pointing angrily at the woman. "Why on earth would I accept another contract? Your last one turned me into a monster!"

The pale woman grabbed Ahri's hand. "And you're still a monster," she pointed out, a new seriousness in her voice and her smile gone. "Answer me this, _fox_ ; where are you going? You don't know, do you? Not back to your friends, because you don't have any! There's no place that you can call home. You're just going to keep wandering Ionia for the rest of your life, going from one village to the next, taking souls so you don't turn back into an animal. You'll always be looking in on the human world, but never quite able to join it, and never accepted when you try."

Ahri shook her hand free, gave Timeless a pained glare, then continued walking.

"Do you ever want to do more than dream?" Timeless called after her.

Ahri paused. Even back when she was a fox, she had loved nothing more than watching and wondering at the mysterious habits of the human dwellers in her forest at the foot of the Tevasa Mountains. She watched their labors during the planting season and their celebrations at harvest. She watched with joy as children played in the meadows and she watched with sorrow as families mourned those who had passed on. She watched with a strange sense of nostalgia as the villagers talked and bickered, laughed and fell in love. And unlike the other foxes who were content to live out their short animal lives in the forest, Ahri had dreamed of something more. She had dreamed of days spent running and playing with the children, and of having real friends to celebrate with and laugh with, friends who shared her joy of life. She dreamed of a life where she would no longer have to be alone.

Her initial transformation had brought her dream tantalizingly close to coming true, though once she started consuming souls to sustain her human form, she knew the dream would remain just beyond her grasp. And yet, maybe...

With a sigh, the foxgirl turned back to Timeless. "What can you possibly do to help me?" she demanded.

"Well for one, we could keep you from being a murderer," Timeless answered. "Two, you'd get to meet other people like you; no more lonely nights spent watching others' lives go by. And three," she smiled. "You'd get to have some fun."

"Fun?"

"Yeah. Fun."

"Fun with what?" Ahri asked, unconvinced. "And how does my magic fit in to this?"

"For the fun!" Timeless replied, throwing her arms in the air.

"You still haven't explained what the fun is."

"Games."

"Games? My spells are offensive weapons. You want them for games?"

"Yeah! Games with other people. Some of them also magic-users!"

Ahri thought for a moment, then came to a realization. "If this is for some kind of fighting game... then you want me to use my magic to fight other people, don't you? You seem to know how many people I've killed…" she went on, a twinge of anger returning to her voice. " You really think I'd be okay with killing more? "

"No no no no no... Well, yeah," Timeless answered quickly. "But what if you weren't _really_ killing people? Runeterra is full of magic! What if everyone you fought came back to life afterwards? You'd get to harvest life energy so you don't turn back into a fox, and you'd get the companionship of people like you. You wouldn't be a murderer, you'd be a Champion!"

Ahri looked at her suspiciously, still unsure if she could believe the woman. Though she did not relish the thought of fighting, the benefits seemed too good to be true. "You... you can really do that?" she asked, finally letting hope push aside the distrust in her mind.

The pale woman pointed to the nine tails swishing around Ahri's legs. "We gave you the power to stay mostly-human for the last decade. Of course we can bring people back to life."

The foxgirl nodded, looking around at the forest as she considered the offer. Though Ahri hated the terrible price she had to pay for her humanity and hoped to one day be welcomed in the villages, she still loved her peaceful life in the forests by the Tevasa Mountains, far from the battle lines of the humans' endless war. "I... I don't know," she said at last. "For all that I wish to change, this is my home now." She turned back to Timeless. "This place... wherever I've wandered in Ionia, I always seem to find myself back here. To this forest. Almost like the land is calling to me," she said wistfully. "I love the smell of the trees here, the sounds of the birds, the feel of a cool stream running over my feet on a warm summer day..."

Timeless listened with a sympathetic smile. "You wouldn't have to leave forever. The games only happen occasionally. The rest of the time, you can wander the forest as much as you like. Maybe even settle down in a village!"

Ahri continued to gaze around the forest as she pondered her options, thinking about all the time she'd spent dreaming about just that. Suddenly she looked back at Timeless suspiciously. "What's the catch? The last time I made a contract with you, I was tricked into becoming an outcast."

Timeless held up her hands innocently. "No catch! And that last time was just an honest misunderstanding." She held up the new contract. "Well, the games can be kinda… intense. But there's no lasting damage. See how I'm tell you in advance? The only requirement for you would be to take part. And then after you win a hundred games, you're free!"

"Free?"

"Yeah! We'd fix your transformation spell so you don't need to keep consuming life energy from other people, and then you'd be free to go."

After a few more moments of consideration, Ahri slowly nodded. While she did not consider herself a fighter, taking part in a few battles – especially with no long term risks – seemed like a small price to pay to for her to finally enjoy a complete human life. Ahri took another look around. Friendship, a path towards becoming fully human, and not being far from her forest? Try as she might, she couldn't see a downside to this contract. "Fine, I accept your proposal, Timeless."

"Awesome!" Timeless pumper her fist victoriously. "I knew you'd come around!"

But one point still didn't fit... "Wait, I know this land," Ahri began. "There's no fighting club around here, just forests and old battlefields from the war. How could I return to the forest so easily if I'm helping you with your games?"

Timeless snapped her fingers and suddenly vanished, then reappeared on the other side of a stunned Ahri. "Teleportation," she explained.

"That's how you snuck up on me…" the foxgirl realized.

"Yeah! We can do a lot of things. We can give you the friendship you want and all the souls you need to stay human! You just gotta sign right here…" Timeless was becoming impatient as she pointed to the contract.

Ahri looked at the scroll hesitantly. "I… I still can't read," she admitted.

"It's just the terms of our agreement. We grant your wish, you agree to fight until you've won a hundred battles with us. That, and a few details." Timeless snatched Ahri's arm, shoved a quill into her hand, and quickly guided it over a line at the bottom of the paper.

Ahri continued to stare blankly at the page, then looked at Timeless helplessly. "W-what do I do?"

Timeless sighed, snapped her fingers, and Ahri felt her hand move on its own. In a second, her name was scrolled over the bottom of the page. She looked up to find Timeless smiling at her. "Welcome to the League of Legends, Champion!" With that, she grabbed the foxgirl by the wrist, and the two of them vanished from the forest.


	2. 2 - The Game

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The Timeless Contracts

Chapter 2 – The Game

Moments later, with Timeless still clutching her wrist, Ahri found herself standing on a dais in the ruins of an ancient temple. She noticed rows of statue-like towers leading off in three directions, while further out, a crumbling stone wall gave way to a dense forest. But her attention quickly turned to the four individuals surrounding them on the platform. A pang of fear ran through Ahri as she realized they were all armed warriors. Did Timeless expect her to fight right _now_? She was about to ask when a booming voice coming from all around filled the air.

"WELCOME TO SUMMONERS RIFT."

"Eeeep!" With a shriek, the startled foxgirl darted behind Timeless and peaked nervously out around her shoulder.

One of the warriors, a tall man carrying a shotgun, pulled the cigar from his mouth and laughed. "Now ain't that darling..."

"Be nice, Graves! She's delicate!" Timeless replied, glaring at the man.

"Is someone so delicate really our fifth Champion?" asked a young white-haired woman, sounding annoyed. She adjusted her grip on the massive sword at her side. "She's not even armed. You said you were bringing someone who could fight!"

"My dear Riven, have I ever lied to you?" Timeless asked innocently.

"More times than I-"

"Anyway," Timeless cut her off. "I couldn't think of anyone better to welcome the newest member of the League! Champions, I give you Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox of Ionia! Make her feel at home!"

"H-hi…." Ahri waved hesitantly as she stepped forward to meet the other Champions.

A great armored warrior in a blue cape nodded to her. "Greetings! I am Garen. The might of Demacia welcomes your support on the Fields of Justice, fair lady!" he declared.

"Graves here," the man with the shotgun mumbled around his cigar, rolling his eyes at the Demacian.

"Riven," said the white-haired woman as she studied Ahri.

"I'm Soraka," said the forth warrior, a blue-skinned mage wielding a great staff. She smiled warmly at the new Champion. "Welcome to the League, Ahri."

Ahri gazed at Soraka in wonder. From the horn protruding from her forehead to the hooves at the end of her legs, this person was unlike any she had seen before. Though the foxgirl was curious about her strange features, she was more impressed that such a being was accepted without question by the other humans. Too many times, Ahri had been welcomed into a small forest village in Ionia, only to be driven out upon discovery of her unhuman features.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Timeless dragged her away from the celestial being. "You're not in Ionia anymore, kiddo. You're going to meet a lot of interesting people here," she said as she led Ahri to a nearby table strewn with weapons and equipment.

Timeless selected two bottles of red liquid and shoved them at the foxgirl. "During the game, our mages can heal all your wounds, even bring you back to life. But," she paused and smiled. "That doesn't mean you won't feel pain out there. These are healing potions. You'll know when to use them." Timeless pointed to Garen as he was giving instructions to the other Champions. "The Demacian likes to think he's in charge of everything. He's pretty much honor-bound to help people too, so if you got any questions out there, ask him." She picked up a small metal ring and flipped it to Ahri. "Catch!"

Ahri caught the ring and put it on. "I'll remember that," she replied, smiling as she inspected the ring on her hand. "But I won't need any of this stuff today, right? I mean, you're going to tell me the rules and everything first..." Ahri asked with a nervous laugh.

"We should be so lucky," said Riven as she joined them at the table. "Timeless didn't even warn me when we teleported in for my first game; she just dropped me on the field between two Void monsters." She quickly picked up a small dagger and a potion.

Timeless pointed at her in mock anger. "You know you loved it, Riven! Not many Champions get a doublekill in their first thirty seconds."

The white-haired woman was less amused. "I don't like being disadvantaged with a new Champion like this. Does she have a Summoner? Can she even fight?"

"She can steal your soul if you let her," Timeless said as she winked at Ahri. The foxgirl blushed slightly. "And yeah, she does something with ranged energy attacks; I'll let you guys figure it out. Oh, and she's fast. Like, faster than a yodle that smells cake. I'll be her Summoner this time, as soon as we're done here." Timeless turned to the other warriors. "Garen, can you give our new friend the Lanes 101 talk, the Nexus explanation, and all the other details? I gotta get to the Summoning Chamber!" With a wave, she vanished, leaving Ahri alone with the other Champions.

Summoners? Nexus? This was all happening too fast! Not half an hour ago, Ahri was sleeping peacefully in an Ionion forest. Now, she'd been thrown in with four strangers to fight a battle she knew nothing about. No, Timeless had called it a game, not a battle. Even so, Ahri realized she was scared. She remembered the battle she had seen long ago just after the Noxian invasion and shuddered, hoping it would not be as bad. Still, at least Ahri would not be alone today. She reassured herself by looking around at the other warriors on her team and vowed not to let them down. Timeless had promised her friends, right? Well, this was her chance.

Garen waved her over. "It will be a few minutes before Timeless is ready to instruct you from the Summoning Chamber. When you hear her voice in your head, do not be alarmed." The warrior pointed off in three directions away from the dais, along the rows of towers Ahri had noticed earlier. "Those are lanes: Top, Middle and Bottom. They each lead to a ruin similar to this one, where five more Champions are preparing to fight against us."

"Why are we fighting-"

"THIRTY SECONDS TO MINION SPAWN." Ahri flinched midsentence as the loud voice rang out over the battlefield again.

"Best not be asking 'why', missy," Graves warned the foxgirl. "Ain't none of us been able to figure that one out yet."

"Actually, in an immediate sense," Riven put in, "we're fighting to protect that giant crystalline structure over there, called a Nexus, while trying to destroy a similar structure at the enemy's starting position. Now, as for why we're fighting in these games..." she trailed off with a shrug.

The Demacian nodded in agreement. "There is much we do not yet know about the League, or these games. But for now, focus on the challenge at hand and conduct yourself honorably. We can try answering your questions once the match is over." He turned to the other Champions. "We need to get moving. Ahri will join me at Top Lane-"

"Don't you let Katarina see the two of you together," Graves warned, pointing his cigar at Garen.

"Not now Graves," the warrior answered with a tired sigh. "Just head to Middle Lane, please." He turned to Riven as the gunman laughed and left for his lane. "I trust you and Soraka will be fine holding the Bottom Lane?"

"Bottom Lane isn't the one we should be worried about," Riven said after a thoughtful pause. "How are you going to cover Top and still protect the newcomer? It's not like she'll be able to help you."

"Hey!" Ahri protested. "I can-"

Garen raised a hand to cut her off, then turned to Riven. "She is new to the League, this is true. Which is why it is my duty as a Demacian to see her through her first game. Not a responsibility I would expect a Noxian to understand!"

"Her strength will determine her worth," Riven said coldly. "If the fox can't take care of herself, she shouldn't be here. Some of us have an interest in winning this match, you know."

Soraka put a hand on Riven's shoulder before the Demacian could respond. "Come on, Riv. We all know how much this one means to you. Just let Garen take care of Ahri. I'm sure she'll try her best!"

"As if that will be enough..." Riven muttered as she headed away from the dais. Soraka gave Ahri a sympathetic smile before following her partner.

Once they were gone, Ahri followed Garen along the Top Lane at a brisk pace. "The woman with the big sword, I don't think she likes me," she said.

"Noxians don't like anyone who looks different from them," he said with a sigh. "But Soraka was right. This is an important game for Riven, so she's probably on edge. If we win today, it will be her hundredth, and last game with the League."

"One hundred wins? That's what Timeless said I need to achieve."

Garen nodded. "We've all agreed to more or less the same terms with Timeless. She offers to grant a wish in exchange for taking part in these games, and when we've won one hundred, the wish is granted, and our time with the League is over."

"What was your wish?"

"For me and- ...Well, it's rather personal actually."

"I'm sorry! I'm still so new to all this. But I guess we'll see a wish granted today for Riven if we win?"

"Yes. She's never lost a match since joining. Though she's a sworn enemy of my kingdom, I still admire her drive and determination to fulfill her obligation to the League so quickly." He suddenly looked over to Ahri. "Timeless said you're from Ionia. Are you involved in the war? Is it going to be a problem to fight alongside a Noxian?"

The issue hadn't even occurred to her. She'd had to defend herself and the Tesava villages from Noxian patrols just after their initial invasion, but as the frontlines moved northward across Ionia, the invaders lost interested in such remote forest communities, far from their supply lines. Beyond her villages, the struggles of nations were of little concern to the foxgirl. In truth, she never even thought of herself as Ionian. She was just... Ahri.

"Did you fight in the war?" Garen pressed, noticing her hesitation.

"I defended myself, and my village, when I had to."

"Many people did. And Riven? You bare her no enmity?"

Ahri shrugged. "I don't care. As long as everyone leaves me alone, the war and those in it mean nothing to me."

The big man frowned. "The Noxians have brought much suffering to your island, even if your home has been spared thus far. But they will not ignore it forever. My kingdom has been resisting the Noxian Empire for decades. We have seen the lengths to which they will go to ensure total compliance of their subjects. We stand alongside Riven today, but you should be wary of the other Noxians you meet here. They are not to be trusted, Ahri."

Though she cared little for politics, Ahri had still heard enough in the villages over the last ten years to know of the endless wars raging on the Valoran continent, and how they eventually spread to Ionia. She was about to ask Garen why Timeless had allied him with an enemy Champion when, for a third time, the great voice boomed.

"MINIONS HAVE SPAWNED."

"Minions?" Ahri put aside her thoughts of the war and looked inquisitively at Garen. They stopped running just beyond another of the great towers. Before them, the lane made a gentle curve to the right, blocking their view any further.

"Yes. The Summoners provide both teams with magically-conjured ground troops. It would be best if you remain behind me and the minions during the fight. Throw your orb at anything you see that's red." He surveyed the lane before them and pointed. "Just around the bend is the enemy. Soon, their minions will come into view. Then this battle will-"

A dagger flew out of nowhere and clattered off Garen's shoulder armor. "Cursed Noxian assassin!" he bellowed and charged into the nearby streambed. Ahri followed hesitantly. "I know you're in there, Katarina! By the might of Demac-UGH!" The large warrior stumbled to his knees as another dagger shot from the undergrowth and embedded itself in his thigh.

"Garen!" the foxgirl called as she rushed towards her wounded teammate.

With a grunt, he held up his hand. "Watch for…argh!… gank!" he warned, biting back the pain.

As he spoke, a great barbarian in a horned helmet and wielding a massive sword lumbered up to the edge of the streambed. He glanced briefly at Ahri, then turned his gaze to the wounded Demacian and lunged. At the last second, Garen raised his sword and blocked the attack, then started backing out of the stream, parrying blows as he went. "Ahri, fall back!" he shouted. "I'll keep Tryndamere busy!"

Before the foxgirl could react, another warrior, a woman with red hair and angry green eyes, darted from the undergrowth, sinister blade in hand, and slashed Garen's arm before retreating behind the barbarian. Ahri watched helplessly as blood began to surge from beneath his armor. The Demacian grunted in pain as he struggled to stay between Ahri and the attackers.

Transfixed by the whirling melee, Ahri could only stare in wonder at what has happening, too awestruck to even move. Timeless had called this a _game_?

"You know who that pretty foxgirl is, Kat?" Tryndamere asked the assassin. "I wouldn't mind letting Ashe take the night off for her sake!"

Ahri gulped as she took a step back.

"She must be new. Look at her chest and thighs, though! I can see why Timeless picked her." The assassin turned to the Demacian. "Is there something you want to tell me, Garen?" she called angrily as she shook blood from her sword. "You're not hiding anything from me I hope!"

"By my honor Katarina, I would never dream of it!" With a terrific effort, Garen smashed his sword against the helmet of the barbarian, knocking him back, then charged the Noxian assassin with a furious yell. "DEMACIAAA!"

Katarina leapt nimbly away, giving him a deep cut across his back as he lunged by. Garen went down with a groan. This was followed by a blow from the enraged barbarian. The massive sword shattered Garen's breastplate and sent him sprawling on his back by the bank of the stream.

In an instant, Katarina was on top of him, straddling his chest, her sword poised at his throat. "I know you wouldn't, dear," she smirked as she shoved the blade under Garen's chin, into his skull. Ahri watched in horror as blood gurgled from his mouth and over his face. The Demacian's body went limp. Katarina cackled as she leapt up from the dead body and turned her gaze on new Champion. "Hey Foxy! Welcome to the League of Legends!" She gave a mock salute with her dagger as her face and arms dripped with Garen's splattered blood.

Ahri's fox instincts took over. She ran. Soon, after weaving through a horde of small soldiers dressed in blue - the minions, she guessed – Ahri risked a glance over her shoulder. She turned just in time to see Katarina swing her blade and lob the head from one of the minions. Its body slumped to the ground. Nearby, Tryndamere ran his sword through another minion, who gave out a gargling cry as it collapsed. This was too much! If she could just get back to the dais, then Timeless could-

" _Hey! You can start fighting any time now Ahri,_ " a happy voice called from inside her head, interrupting her thoughts. " _The game won't win itself!_ "

Ahri was startled at first, but then remembered Garen's words form earlier about the Summoners. " _Timeless! Get me out of here! Please!_ " she begged. " _Garen is dead! And now the minions are getting butchered!_ "

Timeless laughed in reply. " _Oh Ahri, weren't you listening? Those minions are just magical creations. They don't matter! And Garen will be back soon enough._ "

" _I_ saw _him die! The knife went through his throat and the blood-_ "

" _AHRI! You need to chill out, ok?_ " Timeless yelled, the cheerful tone gone from her voice. " _I told you this was going to be intense, but you need to remember, this is only a game. Say it!_ "

" _O-only a game…_ " the foxgirl stammered. " _But there's no way I can-_ "

" _Listen to me! I said you could have friends if you came here, but you_ need _to be able to fight to make that happen! Do you want to go back to murdering your way across Ionia, alone?_ "

" _N-no, but… This is just too much…_ "

" _Ahri, this is_ not _too much. Not for you. Ya know why I know?_ "

" _Why?_ "

" _Because. You. Are. AWESOME! Your orb attacks are awesome! The way you moved back in the forest is awesome! And don't get me started on your looks! You were practically_ made _to be in the League! You can do this, Ahri. Say that you can do this!_ "

" _I-I can do this?_ "

" _Yes you can_ _, Ahri! Now say it again!_ "

" _I can do this! It's only a game!_ "

" _You gonna win this game?_ "

" _I want to win, Timeless!_ "

" _Excellent!_ " Timeless composed herself as her words had the desired effect. She took on her usual lighthearted tone. " _Now then. We need to keep you alive until Garen returns if we want to win; we'd hate to have Riven mad at you! See that big tower to your left?_ "

" _Y-yeah,_ " Ahri muttered in reply, still nervous, but willing to go on.

" _Get to the base of that tower and stay nearby. It will give you protection until you figure out what you're doing._ "

Ahri dashed for the tower. She was nearly there when another wave of blue-clad minions moved by to engage Katarina and the barbarian.

" _Hang on, Ahri. We have an opportunity. Now, don't panic, but it looks like Tryndamere is about to charge you,_ " Timeless calmly informed the foxgirl.

" _WHAT?_ " Ahri turned around in terror, instinctively preparing her orb. Sure enough, the barbarian was barreling towards her, though with visible wounds on his head and neck from Garen's final strike. He plowed through a half-dozen minions, their near-harmless attacks doing nothing to slow him down. Part of her wanted to run, but she knew she had to listen to Timeless if she didn't want to disappoint her teammates.

" _You got your orb! Perfect!_ " said Timeless. " _Now, when I tell you to, lob that thing at the brute, but not a moment earlier, got it?_ "

" _O-Okay…_ " Ahri stammered as she positioned herself with a clear line of sight on the barbarian.

She could hear Katarina calling from further back in the combat. "No! Tryndamere, wait! She's going to-"

" _NOW, AHRI! THROW IT NOW!_ " Timeless yelled in her mind.

An instant later, Ahri's orb was zooming through the air. It struck Tryndamere broad in the chest, splashing raw energy over his body.

" _Very good!_ " Timeless congratulated her. _"Now when he - what?_ " Timeless stopped midsentence to watch as the orb came speeding back from behind the barbarian. It struck him in the back with the same power as before, then continued on to Ahri. She caught it gingerly with one of her tails. " _It's a returning orb?_ " Timeless asked in amazement as Tryndamere stumbled to a halt.

Ahri smiled, surprised at how proud she felt for making the hit. _"Yep! Pretty neat, huh? Don't you remember it from the forest?_ "

"… _Ahri, I like you. Now, Tryndi looks hurt, but he's not finished. We need to lure him closer to the tower somehow so its defensive turret can finish him off."_

The foxgirl looked around. The tower was still some ways off, and there was no sign of Garen coming back yet. Katarina was busy fighting the group of blue minions, though a new wave of red minions made approaching the barbarian dangerous. " _Isn't there a spell or something you can cast to make him move?_ " she asked. " _You seem to teleport pretty easily…_ "

" _No can do. We can just offer advice and coordinate with the other Champions during games; we can't control you guys or affect the game directly like that. Now come on, we need to think of a way that you can make him get a little closer to the tower. There has to be… Ah ha! I've got it! Katarina was on to something!_ "

" _What? What is it?_ " Ahri asked excitedly.

" _You can flash him!_ "

"… _What?! No!"_ she thought in disgust. " _What kind of person do you take me for?_ "

" _Okay, maybe not literally, but you know what I mean. Look, you spent ten years seducing guys to get at their life energy. You've gotta have_ some _way to manipulate that brute into walking forward for like twenty feet!_ "

" _Well, yeah, but in the middle of a battle?_ "

" _You have some 'unique assets', Ahri. Anything goes here if it helps you win._ _Do you want Riven to kill you for throwing the game? I'd let her…"_

" _Fine then! I got this!_ " With no other choice, Ahri decided to embrace the situation. She darted closer to the barbarian, looked him directly in the eyes, and smiled. Ahri could feel the power of her charm sapping the barbarian's focus and will, just as it had so many times on unsuspecting men back in Ionia. He staggered forward a step. Then another. As Tryndamere crossed a threshold near the tower, a massive bolt of raw energy shot down at the injured barbarian. Finally at his limit, he collapsed, a singed mass of flesh and burnt leather armor.

The man was dead. And Ahri had killed him. This was far from her first, and yet it still felt… new. Back in Ionia, the regret Ahri felt over every life she took raged against the very humanity she was trying to attain. But not this time. Perhaps it was because she acted in self-defense. Or perhaps it was because she was fighting for her team. Whatever the reason, Ahri had killed someone. And she didn't mind at all.

" _Timeless to Ahri, Timeless to Ahri, come in, over?_ " The voice in her head pulled her back from the momentary reflection. " _You doing ok? Not bothered with killing that guy, are ya?_ "

Ahri shook her head. " _No. No, I'm fine._ " She glanced at the dead body and shrugged. " _It's...easier than I remember._ " She looked around. With Tryndamere dead, the Noxian assassin had retreated out of sight. Friendly minions were mopping up the last of the enemy ones and advancing. " _Timeless? That was awesome! I could do this forever..._ " she exclaimed.

" _That's what we like to hear! Now, there are still some enemy minions between here and the next tower we can clear before Garen returns. Got any more of those fancy orb techniques?_ "

The foxgirl conjured up three smaller orbs of energy. " _Do I ever…_ " she said with a sly grin, and ran off towards the retreating enemy minions.

As she rounded the corner, another tower came into view. Ahri halted in a patch of long grass to watch a troop of blue minions move up the lane and assault the tower. As happened with Tryndamere, when the minions came within a certain distance, it unleashed a fearsome bolt of energy. The shot horribly maimed one of the minions, but the others pressed on despite the carnage. The foxgirl watched in fascination as some of the minions made it to the base of the tower and started attacking it with their weapons and spells. Every few seconds, another minion was vaporized by the tower's energy attack, but the other minions seemed not to notice. Cracks began to appear in the tower's base.

" _So that's how we take out the towers?_ " Ahri asked Timeless.

" _Yep! Let the minions take the hits while you do the attacks. You gotta be careful around them, though. Those blasts hurt_ a lot _, and when our minds are connected like this, I feel all the pain you do. So please don't die._ "

The tower fell silent as the last of the blue minions were swept away by an advancing wave of red minions, newly arrived from the enemy's base. Ahri looked around cautiously and could discern no sign of Katarina, or any other Champions. " _Can I take out some of these guys?_ " she asked eagerly as the minions approached her hiding place.

" _Mm-hm. Throw a few orbs and retreat back towards your tower until more friendly minions arrive to support you._ "

When half the minions had gone by, Ahri leapt out to begin the slaughter. But before she had taken two steps, her keen ears heard a _whoosh_ sound. Moments later, a sudden sharp pain pierced her side.

"Aaah!" She stumbled backwards out of the long grass, clutching her stomach. Looking down, she was horrified to see a long arrow protruding from her body. Taking notice of her, a group of enemy minions crowded around Ahri, pelting her with magic projectiles, each impact feeling like a hornet sting.

" _Potion! Now!_ " Timeless snapped at her. " _Then run for your tower!_ "

Fumbling desperately for the bottle, Ahri just managed to down the drink before three more arrows tore into her body in rapid succession. One pierced her leg, another her stomach, and the third lodged itself in her shoulder. The foxgirl collapsed on her back, writhing in agony. As she began to struggle towards the tower, Ahri saw another Champion making her way through the minions. The foxgirl flinched as the woman's cold, piercing eyes met hers. The Champion nocked another arrow in her great bow, took aim at Ahri's head, and without a word, let it fly. For a split second, Ahri could feel her skull cracking as the iron arrowpoint pierced her forehead, and then she felt nothing.


	3. 3 - The Truth

.

The Timeless Contracts

Chapter 3 – The Truth

Bright tongues of flame leapt into the hazy night as the villagers fled their burning homes. Some, armed with little more than farm tools, tried to resist the invaders, but were no match for the disciplined swordsmen. The rest made for the hills, hoping to find what shelter they could in the mountains beyond.

A weary old man carrying a rusted spear led a woman and her two young daughters through the fleeing crowd. They were nearly out of the village when the enemy fell upon them. As their friends and neighbors were butchered in a flurry of violence, the man realized there would be no escape to the mountains for them. He hastened the family back towards the center of the village and their final desperate hope for salvation.

They were not the first to seek refuge in the great stone circle. Others, some praying, some crying, hid in the eerie shadows of the ancient ruin where the villagers honored the stars and the spirits of the land. As the enemy swordsmen closed in on the henge, the man handed the spear off to the young woman, took hold of the two crying children, and began to chant. His words were ancient words, words he had known since he was a boy, passed on from his grandfather, words he was only to use in the direst of times. As he spoke, a blinding flash of light shot from the middle of the stone circle, and then all was darkness.

* * *

Ahri could see nothing, could hear nothing. She tried looking around, but the darkness persisted in every direction. The burning village had seemed so familiar, and the cries so near. Did she know the woman and the old man? She felt that their story lay just beyond the cusp of memory…

Then a voice she knew all too well sounded in her mind.

" _Well, good job Ahri. You died._ "

She pushed aside the vision of the burning village and the old man. " _Timeless? Timeless!_ " the foxgirl called desperately.

" _Yeah, I'm here. Just enjoy being dead for a little while longer. We'll have you revived in no time!_ "

"… _So this is death…_ " After a moment of reflection, Ahri realized how similar it felt to flying in a dream, as though she'd been freed from all earthly constraints. She could soar to the horizon if she wanted to – and if she could find one.

" _Yep! You're now in the great beyond. Ashe's arrows have that effect on people. But I guess this is to be expected after you charmed her husband._ "

" _Ashe?_ "

" _The Frost Archer. She's the lady who shot you. Her husband, Tryndamere, is the barbarian you killed by the tower. Ashe married him to bring unity to their homeland, Freljord – that ship never would have sailed on its own. But Ashe's desperate to keep it together, so she can be a bit… possessive. Even in-game._ "

" _So much for making friends…_ "

" _Na, Ashe's cool. You'll see after the match._ "

As they spoke, Ahri watched the blackness around her fade to gray. Soon, she could make out shapes in the haze. The forest and the nearby tower in Top Lane were visible, though they had taken on a dark, shadowy hue. She could see the minions, and Ashe, though they too appeared faded. Finally, she saw her own body, her red tunic torn and stained, and five arrows sticking haphazardly into the air from her twisted form.

" _How long do I have to keep looking at my dead body?_ " Ahri asked, feeling slightly nauseous as she studied her sprawled corpse, white tails now stained red with blood.

" _Not long, it will phase out soon, just like the dead minions. Garen's body is already gone, see?_ "

Just as Timeless said, the Demacian's body was nowhere to be seen. As Ahri watched, Garen finally returned to Top Lane, as alive as when she'd met him. Katarina was also in view now. The assassin spoke a few words to Ashe, and the archer quickly retreated out of sight.

" _Not much longer now!_ " Timeless assured the foxgirl.

The minutes dragged on. Ahri watched Garen chase the Noxian back into the stream and out of her view as another wave of red minions clashed with blue ones just beyond the range of her team's tower. Not much later, Katarina rushed back into sight with Garen in pursuit, both suffering from grievous-looking wounds, including two arrows jutting from Garen's shoulder.

Just when Katarina seemed trapped between Garen and the blue minions, she vanished, only to reappear behind the stunned Demacian. Ahri decided it must be a teleport spell similar to the one Timeless used. The Demacian tried to react, but was not fast enough. A few quick slashes from the assassin, and Garen once again buckled and fell to the ground, blood seeping through multiple gaps in his armor. The assassin knew her target well.

At a signal from the Noxian, Ahri saw the Frost Archer rush from cover towards the tower, another wave of red minions following on her heels. With Katarina subduing the final blue soldiers, Ashe focused on attacking the tower itself as its defensive weapon targeted the red minions one by one. She sent volley after volley of arrows into its base, but rather than clattering off the stonework as Ahri supposed would, they stuck, each one emanating a cold frost that soon enveloped the entire foundation of the structure. Rocks began to crack and in moments, the entire tower came tumbling down.

" _That looked bad, Timeless. How much longer until I'm back?_ " Ahri asked with concern. Through their connection, Ahri realized that Timeless had become worried about something.

" _Hard to say. We tried the fox resurrection spell first, since that's what you were originally, but nothing happened. They're using the human one now to see if that works. Hang tight a bit longer, we'll get you back!_ "

" _Wait, you mean I might be... really dead?_ " Panic laced Ahri's voice.

" _No..._ " Timeless answered distractedly. " _Your, um, 'soul' we'll call it, is still trapped in the battlefield as it should be. We're just having trouble finding a way to recreate your body. Just trust me here, we're experts!_ "

Ahri continued to watch the game in silence as Ashe and Katarina destroyed another wave of blue minions and pushed towards the second tower. As they again moved beyond her field of view, the foxgirl's thoughts turned to her vision from earlier.

" _Hey, Timeless?_ "

" _Hmmm?_ "

" _I don't know if this matters, but I saw... something, just after I died. It was a scene. A burning village, people fleeing for their lives, an old man in a temple... but it wasn't anything I remember seeing back in Ionia. Maybe that's related to why the resurrection spells aren't working?_ "

It was several long moments before Timeless replied. " _Donno. People usually don't see anything when they die except their last view of the battlefield. It could be because you changed from fox to human in the past? There might- Wait, the spell is working! We'll talk about that later. Enjoy your last few seconds of being dead!_ "

The view faded and Ahri was again surrounded by the utter blackness of death. Though she was no stranger to death, being on the other side of the process was still fascinating to her. She did not completely understand how she was able to absorb a person's life energy, though having her soul removed from her body at least offered a new perspective on the process. But as she considered this, she realized that something was out of place. The boundless feeling she'd enjoyed upon first leaving her body felt somehow diminished. She felt sluggish, almost as though she were underwater. Ahri was about to bring this up to Timeless when a blinding flash of light cut through the darkness. An instant later, Ahri was standing on the dais again, alive and well.

"So how'd you like the afterlife, missy?" said a gruff voice behind her.

The foxgirl turned to find Graves selecting an item from the equipment table. She shrugged. "It's not so bad when you know it's temporary. I think the dying was worse than being dead, to be honest."

"Yeah, that part hurts like mad. But you'll get used to it eventually," the man said as he picked up a small token with a picture of a hammer on it and attached the item to his shotgun. Then he pointed up at a scoreboard behind the table. "Looks like you got some gold already. Best spend it now before heading back to the lanes."

"Gold?" Ahri replied curiously. "We get paid for these games?"

The gunman shook his head. "I mean in-game gold. See up there where is says 'Ahri – 597' in the upper left?" he asked, taking his cigar from his mouth and pointing. "That means you got 597 gold pieces to spend on items here to help you in the battle." He patted the token he'd just attached to his shotgun. "Like this little toy. Put it on my weapon, and the shots become more powerful."

"I have no idea what's helpful..." Ahri said, too embarrassed to admit she could not read the prices or any of the descriptive labels on the items.

Graves picked up a blue crystal and handed it to her. Ahri saw the number by her name change.

"This will let you cast more spells," he explained, puffing out a lung full of smoke. "It don't look like you got any weapons, so I assume that's what you do."

Ahri was about to reply when she noticed Graves suddenly looking off in the distance, as though lost in thought.

A moment later, she heard Timeless speaking in her mind. " _Shopping time's over, Ahri. Bottom Lane just lost a tower. They need your help._ "

" _Understood,_ " she thought, then turned to Graves. "Timeless says I-"

"Bottom Lane?" he finished for her. "Yeah, I heard. Better get down there to help Raka and Riv. I'll stay at Mid. Hopefully our illustrious leader in Top Lane will stop ogling that Noxian assassin long enough to keep things from going to hell up there..."

Ahri had to stifle a laugh, then asked, "How'd you know about Bottom Lane? I just heard it from Timeless..."

Graves chuckled as he started walking away. "Ask your Summoner. We got a game to win right now," he called back.

The foxgirl started running towards Bottom Lane. " _I'm supposed to ask you something, Timeless?_ "

" _Yeah, about that... There's a team-wide communication channel that lets all the Champions and Summoners speak with each other the way we are now,_ " she explained.

" _That sounds useful. How do I talk to them?_ "

"... _We can't. The other Summoners and Champions have kind of...blocked me._ "

" _How is that possible? I thought you were-_ "

" _Ahri?_ " she said forcefully," _Can we not talk about this now?_ "

" _S-sure..._ " Ahri wondered why Timeless seemed distraught over the issue, and reminded herself to bring it up after the game.

Timeless remained silent as Ahri made her way along Bottom Lane. Soon, bright flashes of energy shown ahead. She recognized them as the defensive fire from a tower. Looking closely, she discerned the white-haired woman, Riven, desperately swinging her colossal sword to parry blows from both the barbarian Tryndamere, and another Champion with long flowing hair and gem-studded shoulder guards. The swordswoman had already suffered a deep cut across her arm, while another injury to the side of head speckled her white hair with blood.

Closer to the tower, Ahri noticed Soraka standing with her staff held aloft in one hand.

As she watched, Soraka swung the staff downwards and a great shot of energy fell from the heavens, striking the ground near the two enemy combatants. It was not enough to kill them, but it did give Riven the distraction she needed to disengage and limp back towards the damaged tower. Ahri was about to rush forward and take her place when Timeless finally spoke again.

" _Hold it. Meet Riven and Raka by the tower and see what's up,_ " she calmly instructed. " _The enemy has another wave of minions en route. And there might be another Champion out there._ "

" _Three Champions on one lane?_ " Ahri asked.

" _Yeah, it looks like they're trying to eliminate all the towers here in one push. We arrived just in time!_ "

Soraka noticed her first. "Hey Ahri! Glad you could help us," she called.

"I came as fast as I could," the foxgirl answered, running up to the Starchild.

The two enemy Champions fell back a ways when they noticed the newcomer.

Riven nodded as she joined them at the tower, though her face remained expressionless. "Listen, I'm pretty beat up from that last push and out of healing potions. Can you stay close to the tower and hold them off while I head back to recover?" She was looking directly at Ahri, doubt clear in her red eyes.

"Y-yeah," the foxgirl answered, looking away nervously. "I think I can..."

"I'll return with more soldiers, then we can all clear this lane together. Just don't get yourself killed. Plan?"

"Plan!" Soraka answered as she finished off her own health potion.

The Noxian put a hand on Soraka's shoulder. "I mean it. Keep the fox alive. We are _not_ losing this match!" Then she stepped back and closed her eyes as a blue ring of light appeared at her feet. The light slowly enveloped her, and in a few seconds, Riven was gone.

Soraka noticed Ahri staring at the spot where Riven had just been. "It's a recall spell," she explained. "We let our Summoner know when we are feeling tired or threatened, and they teleport us back to the starting dais to heal."

The foxgirl nodded, then looked back up the lane. "So you guys lost a tower too, huh… I saw one fall in Garen's lane when I was waiting to revive."

"Yes. Garen has lost two, actually. Graves managed to destroy one enemy tower in the Middle Lane, but overall, this battle is not going our way. That's why Riven is on edge."

Ahri looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry, if I hadn't taken so long to resurrect, I'd have been able to help out sooner."

The Starchild smiled at her. "It is not your fault, Ahri. We all understand that, even Riven." Then she gave the foxgirl a curious look. "But why did it take so long to revive you? Did Timeless explain?"

"Yeah, she said there were problems with the resurrection spells since I'm still part fox," Ahri said, swishing her tails.

Soraka frowned. "That doesn't sound right. I've been a healer for a long time and worked with several transitions. Changing form should not alter how you respond to healing and resurrection magic."

Ahri could only shrug. "I also saw a vision when I was waiting to come back. A burning village, people fleeing in terror, and an old man trying to save two children... It was so vivid, but not anything I remember. I mentioned this to Timeless, and it seemed odd to her, too."

It was several thoughtful moments before Soraka spoke. "You're Ionian?"

"I'm from Ionia, but-"

A great racket further up the lane drew their attention. The two enemy Champions had returned, supported by a wave of red minions, and were hacking their way through another troop of blue soldiers that had just passed by their tower.

"We'll talk later. I want to hear more about that vision. But let's win this game first," Soraka said quickly, then pointed down the lane. "They pushed us back from the first tower, but with their injuries, Tryndamere and Taric can't press the attack any further for now, as long as we hold our position. They may approach us, and they may attack the minions, but they know that if they get too close, one shot from the turret, along with our spells, would be lethal. We should be fine until Riven returns, if we stay here."

Even as she spoke, the enemy Champions neared the tower. As Ahri hastily prepared her orb for another fight, she could see Tryndamere speaking to his teammate and motioning in her direction. The long-haired Champion cut down a blue minion, then looked towards her and waved.

"Greetings, fair thing of beauty! I am told you have an irresistible smile, and would be honored to see it after this match!" he called, grinning broadly as the barbarian at his side roared with laughter.

" _Looks like you got another fan, Ahri,_ " said the teasing voice in her head. " _I could set up a post-game date if you want..._ "

Ahri's face flushed with embarrassment. Was everyone in the League only interested in her looks? These weren't the kind of friends she wanted to make. " _You're not helping. I'd rather show them more of my magic._ "

" _I'm sure they'd love some magical time with you!_ "

" _Timeless! That was rude!_ "

But the jest gave Ahri an idea. How impressed would Riven be if she came back to find the lane cleared? Just then, several red-clad soldiers advanced on the tower. They were met with shot after shot of defensive energy bolts, though most of the minions survived to reach their target.

Soraka motioned towards the minions and smiled at Ahri. "Shall we?" She held up her staff and another fireball shot down on a group of minion casters, engulfing them in a burst of flames.

Making up her mind, Ahri knew she had to act fast. As the turret fire destroyed the first rank of minions, she rushed forward, orb in hand. Rather than finishing off the enemy footmen, she passed them by and darted for the enemy Champions still lingering just beyond the tower's range.

"Ahri! No!" She could hear Soraka calling behind her.

" _The hells are you doing?!_ " Timeless yelled. " _Do you want to get killed again?_ "

" _Just trust me!_ "

The Gem Knight was closest. Ahri cocked her head to one side and smiled at the Champion. "You don't need to wait until the game is over. Come see me know!" she offered in a sultry tone.

Just as before, Ahri could feel the force of attraction wash over her target. A glazed look came over Taric's eyes as he took a step towards her, then another, and then… nothing! Ahri looked back at the tower in a panic. Taric was in range, so why wasn't it shooting at him?

Timeless detected her question. " _The tower will keep shooting at all those red minions first. Ahri, this was a terrible idea. Riven is going to- RIGHT NOW, DODGE!_ "

Ahri instantly tried to roll away, but a slash from the Gem Knight's sword still caught her upper arm, leaving a deep gash. He quickly leapt back, outside the turret's range. "It pains me to strike at something so beautiful, and yet it must be done!" Taric anguished.

"Shut up!" Ahri growled in frustration, her fox ears laid back defensively. How was she supposed to know who the tower would target? She launching her orb at Taric.

He winced as the ball of energy seared his leg, but he recovered quickly. "My, this rose certainly has the sharpest of thorns!"

The foxgirl was enraged. "I'm ending this!" She gave her orb an extra burst of energy, then rushed past the Gem Knight to launch it at him from behind. Satisfied as he stumbled from the hit, she again darted to a new position and attacked. Taric dropped his sword as the orb broke over his arm, singeing his flesh. Ahri smiled victoriously as she ran to make her third and final strike against the Gem Knight... but instead ran straight into Tryndamere's great sword.

"No, _I'm_ ending this!" he bellowed. Ahri could hear Soraka calling for her as the sword cut across her midsection. With unbelievable speed, the barbarian pulled the sword back and brought it swinging down in a finishing blow on Ahri's shoulder. Once more, her world went dark.

* * *

Ahri looked around as the darkness faded. She was standing in the midst of the great stone circle, surrounded by the burning village, and yet she did not feel panicked. She felt no heat from the fires, no smoke in her lungs. All thoughts of Timeless, Tryndamere and the others vanished as she watched the old man continue his chant.

Before him, a great light with no clear source gleamed brightly from above the central altar. The two children at his side had stopped crying as they stared in fascination at the light, their mother some distance behind, now wielding the rusted spear.

The enemy swordsmen lingered just beyond the henge, unsure of what they were witnessing. But then they found their courage. With a cry, they rushed into the circle. A throwing star felled the young mother before she could raise the spear. The other villagers were cut down where they stood, and yet the old man was unmoved. He finished speaking and smiled.

With a pulse, the light suddenly grew beyond the altar to envelop the man and the children. Ahri watched as great gouts of flame shot from the light, engulfing the swordsmen who tried to approach. The light grew in intensity with every enemy it felled. As the remaining swordsmen fell back, it gave off one final burst of energy. Ahri instinctively covered her eyes as she finally felt its heat wash over hear, its blinding power flooding her vision with white.

* * *

The foxgirl opened her eyes and found herself staring up at a high marble ceiling. Soraka and Timeless were leaning over her. Their faces were grave, but Timeless quickly broke into a grin as she turned to the Starchild.

"Told you she'd be fine."

"You can't let her go on with this," Soraka urged. "An hour for revival? That is simply unheard of. Besides, once she was out of the game, we had no chance!"

Thoughts churned in the foxgirl's mind as she struggled to comprehend the latest vision, though the events that had followed it were clear enough. After the blinding flash, her view had shifted to the battlefield, faded as before. She had watched Soraka die trying to rescue her on Bottom Lane, and the tower collapse not long afterwards. She had watched Garen and Graves lead a final desperate push up Middle Lane, only to falter just before the enemy's last line of towers. And finally, she had watched the swirling melee engulf their dais as the enemy Champions and minions closed in on the Nexus, with Riven falling to her knees in despair as the great crystal erupted in a cloud of shattered glass and flame.

Ahri flexed her stiffened joints as she looked around. She was lying in a great hall. Around here, high columns of stone rose to an ornate vaulted ceiling. Was this the Summoning Chamber that Timeless had mentioned? An entire wall of the vast chamber was adorned with rows upon rows of figures and symbols. She surmised that they were statistics from the battle they had just fought.

Graves was in conversation with Taric and a purple-toned Champion that Ahri did not recognize. They all rushed over at a call from Timeless. Ashe and Tryndamere were already standing nearby, their faces etched with concern as they watched the recovering foxgirl, while Garen and Katarina seemed to be in an animated discussion, oblivious to Ahri's recovery. Only Riven was alone, sitting on a nearby step with her head in her hands.

"Look, I'm sure the Summoners will have this sorted out by the next game," Timeless was saying. "Everyone's first few deaths can be a little... traumatic while we figure out the best spells to use for bringing them back."

Soraka was unconvinced. "Her experience was well beyond normal. Did she tell you about the vision she saw while awaiting recovery? There are a host of complications that could imply! We just don't have enough information to risk her life in another match."

"I'm sorry," the foxgirl cut in before Timeless could respond. "I-I lost the game for us..."

The Starchild gave her a sympathetic smile. "This was well beyond your control, Ahri. We had no way of knowing the resurrection spell would be problematic for you."

"What she means," said Timeless, "is that it's really my fault for not preparing you."

"Yeah, pretty much," Soraka remarked coldly. Her face softened as she turned back to the foxgirl. "Did you have any more visions this time?"

"Y-yeah," Ahri said weakly. "The burning village again. The old man was fighting back this time. It was like he summoned a magical light to protect them from the men attacking the village."

"Did anything seem familiar? The scenery, the stars, the manner of dress of the villagers?"

The foxgirl shook her head as she struggled to stand with Timeless's help. "I didn't notice. I was too focused on that magical light."

After several moments of silence, the purple-skinned mage spoke up. "There has been much strange magic to come from the wilds of Ionia. No doubt there is still more there to be discovered." He noticed Ahri studying him curiously. "How rude of me; I am Ryze, an associate Champion of the League. It is an honor to meet you, Ahri of Ionia." He bowed, revealing a large scroll bound to his back.

Ahri nodded in greeting to the mage.

"Me and Ryze were tradin' shots on Middle Lane all through the match. That's why ya didn't see him," Graves explained.

"She saw plenty of me!" laughed Tryndamere, drawing a stern glare from the archer by his side. "I never would have imagined that being lured to my death could be so pleasant!"

The archer rolled her eyes. "Please overlook my husband's rudeness; you at least deserve a proper greeting from us. I am Ashe, and this is my husband Tryndamere. We offer you the most sincere greetings from the people of Freljord."

The foxgirl hung her head in embarrassment. "S-sorry about using that charm spell on your husband..."

Ashe smiled. "Fear not, Ahri. We were all trying to win, and though unorthodox, I do not condemn you for employing every option at your disposal." Then she cast a dark glance at Timeless. "I've been here long enough to know whose idea that probably was."

"Hey, I just work with what I'm given," Timeless said, putting up her hands defensively.

"I didn't mind! Really!" Tryndamere persisted, earning himself a swift jab from the archer.

"And what a charm it was!" Taric added. "'Tis something every man in the League must experience at least once. I dare say the ladies would find you equally irresistible, Ahri!" He gave a brief bow.

Ahri was embarrassed at all the sudden attention.

Timeless caught her pleading glance. "Okay everyone, enough fawning over the new girl. We still need to allocate Fate Points from the game." She waved her hand and several rows of numbers lit up on the great board behind her. Then, turning to Garen and Katarina, still arguing in a corner, she called, "Hey lovebirds! Get over here!"

"For the last time, we're not-" Garen began.

"Stow it, Demacian. No one here cares," Katarina cut in.

"Fate Points?" wondered Ahri as the other two Champions joined them.

"You didn't explain to her what Fate Points are?" Katarina smirked, raising her scarred eyebrow. "How'd you get her to join then?"

Timeless shrugged. "I had some preexisting leverage. Plus I was in a hurry. The match was about to start and I needed another Champion. So that detail kinda got left out."

"I still don't know what Fate Points are..." said Ahri.

Soraka sighed. "Did Timeless explain _anything_ about why we're fighting?"

The foxgirl shook her head.

"Here we go..." mumbled Graves, taking another draw on his cigar.

"What do you think these games are for, Ahri?" Timeless asked.

"...I don't know. Someone's entertainment, maybe?"

"No! Well, not only that – I'm pretty entertained by all this. But the main reason you're here: these games help us guide the future of the world."

Ahri gave Timeless a blank look.

Graves smiled. "Yeah, that's everyone's reaction."

"Look around you Ahri," Timeless went on. "You are surrounded by Champions from the great nations of Runeterra. Freljord, Demacia, Noxus, Ionia... plus independent Champions. Each Summoner is also affiliated with a specific country, but they will make their allocations later. Now, during the game, you score Fate Points by killing Champions. Each point is _for_ your faction and _against_ the faction of the Champion you killed. For example, when you saw Katarina kill Garen near the beginning of the game, she earned a Fate Point _favoring_ Noxus _against_ Demacia. Make sense?"

"Kinda..." Ahri replied after thinking it over. "I see where these points come from, but what do they _do_?"

"And now, the fun part..." sighed Graves.

"Just as it sounds, Ahri. Fate Points bend fate," Timeless explained casually.

She was met with another blank stare from the foxgirl.

"The League is very powerful. _Very_ , very powerful," she continued, pulling out a small silver coin. "We use your performance in the games to decide the outcomes of the random chances of the universe that can alter the course of nations. Give a Fate Point to Ionia, and maybe a cold, tired Ionian scout will decide to take a little more time in his patrol and discover the Noxian ambush that could have destroyed his company if he'd missed it. Little chances like that run the world, Ahri. And with Fate Points, you can decide who benefits..." Timeless flipped the coin into the air, caught it, and slapped it to her arm. "...And who suffers." She pulled her hand away from the coin, revealing a picture of an eagle and an olive branch. "Tails. Looks like a bad day for someone out there..."

Ahri put her arm against one of the nearby columns to support herself. "You... you're joking. By fighting in these games, you mean _we_ are determining the future of Runeterra?"

"Yep!" Timeless flicked her wrist, then held up her hands to reveal that the coin had vanished.

"'Tis a silly way to write the pages of history, and yet perhaps the only opportunity some of us will ever have to pick up the pen," Taric remarked.

"This is unreal..." the foxgirl shook her head in amazement. "But... How are you doing this? _W_ _hy_ are you doing this? And why us?"

Timeless put an arm on Ahri's shoulder. "Because..." Her hands darted up to the fur lining Ahri's large vulpine ears and withdrew before the stunned foxgirl could react. "...You're special." Timeless grinned as she held up two near-identical silver coins.

Flustered, Ahri looked around at the other Champions for an explanation.

"And now you know the extent of our mystery, oh Ahri," said Taric. "For the League of Legends contains the full spectrum of the peoples of Runeterra. Warriors and wizards, angels and assassins, men and monsters, from great lords to base thieves-"

"Watch it, pretty boy," Graves mumbled around his cigar.

"-all brought together to wage endless conflict to decide their fortunes, and those of their homeland," Taric went on, ignoring the interruption. "And happy chance this is for us. For all these walks of life, from friends to bitter enemies, all these individual stories, each bursting with marvelous complexity, would surely have gone their own ways, seldom meeting each other if even at all, where it not for the League of Legends."

Katarina gave a brief laugh. "Oh, we definitely would have met. The only difference is that with the League's protection, I can't stab all these sickening Demacian smiles I see everywhere!"

Garen looked hurt. "You don't like my smile?"

"Hush, love." The assassin turned back to Ahri. "But Pretty Boy here has a point; people from all over have been dragged into this, and the only thing we have in common is that we can survive in the games. Not that I'd trust half these fools with a blunt dagger let alone something as important as a Fate Point..."

Ahri shook her head as she grappled with the notion that her performance in the games could decide the fate of entire nations. "But how do these Fate Points actually _change_ things? I know that magic is powerful, but still... This is so unbelievable."

"We don't know how it works," Tryndamere replied bluntly. "Timeless won't give us any more details."

"Oh Tryndi, must everything have an answer with you?," Timeless sighed. "Can't you accept that some things just _are_?"

"Not when the fate of my people are at stake," he declared.

"Then you've _seen_ fortunes actually change from using these points?" Ahri asked, still skeptical.

Garen nodded. "We ran a secret test some years ago. As Noxus was conducting their extermination campaign against the barbarians in the north, and with my kingdom unable to send more than a company of Vanguard to support the Freljordi, we realized our only hope was to try using Fate Points to our advantage here at the League."

"For several weeks, all Demacian-allied and Freljordi Champions focused on their Noxian opponents during the games," Ashe explained. "We even sacrificed victory in some games, to our own personal detriment, to target the Noxian Champions. Then we allocated all our Fate Points against Noxus. And it worked!"

Though the names and history meant little to Ahri, she could tell this event was significant for Ashe and Tryndamere. "What happened?"

"The Battle of Freya Pass," Ashe said proudly. "A Demacian and Freljordi ambush annihilated a Noxian army three times their size!"

"Please!" Katarina scoffed. "That was barely a pinprick for an empire the size of Noxus! The Northern Expeditions are just sideshows anyway." She paused for a moment, studying the great board on the wall. "But the battle did open our eyes. Since then, we've all been taking this much more seriously. Every great faction on Runeterra has an interest in monitoring the allocation of Fate Points and seeks a way to use them to their advantage. Not that we can craft specific strategies to utilize the points, of course. How they manifest back on Runeterra could apply to anything. Better terms on a trade deal, victory in battle, maybe your faction discovers a rich mineral deposit... We can't pick the specific outcome, only which factions benefit from it," she explained. "It certainly adds a new level of complexity to the games. Not only are you fighting for your team to win, but you also want to seek out specific enemy Champions to kill, too."

The amount of information was nearly overwhelming for Ahri. "I'm not even part of a faction, though. I'm from Ionia, but it doesn't mean much to me... How do my points help anyone?"

"That means you're an Independent, like Ryze and me," said Graves. He looked over at Garen. "Remember our deal, buddy?"

The Demacian sighed, took out a bag of gold coins and handed it to the gunman.

Katarina snorted as she watched Graves shake the bag and smile at the resulting jingle. "So much for Demacian honor…" the assassin muttered.

"Thank you sir!" Graves said to the Demacian, then turned to Ahri. "Independents can do what they want with their points. Maybe you want to help two factions. Or maybe you have a willin' buyer, like I did." He pointed up at the scoreboard. "All my Fate Points I scored over the Noxians, let 'em favor Demacia!" A row of numbers changed as he called out his allocations.

Timeless looked up at the board. "You still have two points against Demacia from killing Taric and general points from killing Ryze."

Graves chewed his cigar while considering his options. "Let the points against Demacia favor Bandle City." He turned to Ahri. "I'm tryin' to be strategic here. Garen paid me to help Demacia, but I still need to allocate points against it that I got from killin' Taric, so I'm letting the points favor a Demacian ally on the other side of the continent – it's the best I can do for him. Now, points from killing Ryze, an Independent, I can do whatever with. Let's have those go to Demacia over Noxus, too!" he called.

"Got it!" Timeless answered as more numbers changed on the board. "How about you, Ahri? You have one point against Freljord. Who do you want it to favor?"

Ahri frowned. "I'm still not sure I get it..."

"Basically, you need to pick a faction that will have a stroke of good fortune at Freljord's expense. That's your reward for killing Tryndamere during the game," Timeless summarized.

The foxgirl looked hesitantly at Ashe and Tryndamere.

The archer nodded to her. "Go ahead, Ahri. This is just part of the game. We bare you no ill will for what you are doing."

Reassured, Ahri looked back to Timeless. "I would like my point to favor... Ionia, please." She noticed Soraka smile at her choice.

One by one, the other Champions gave Timeless their point allocations. It was a complex formula with near endless possibilities. Favoring Demacia over Noxus, favoring Freljord over Zaun, favoring Noxus over Ionia... As the chart slowly filled in, Ahri realized the complexity of the allotment decisions was more than she could hope to understand on her own. It was enough to just match each row on the chart with the correct Champion. She reminded herself that learning to read the human language would be essential if she were to succeed here at the League.

Eventually, only one row on the board remained unfilled.

Riven had joined them during the allocations, her expression still blank, though Ahri could detect a new fierceness in her eyes.

Timeless looked to the white-haired Noxian. "Ok, Riv. How do you want your points?"

"...I don't care," she replied with an empty voice, looking distantly up at the board. Her right hand flexed on the hilt of her sword. "This means nothing to me anymore."

"That won't do," Timeless said with a frown. "You're stuck with us a bit longer, Riven. You need to decide-"

In a flash, Riven turned, drew her massive sword and brought it to just a hair's breadth from Ahri's neck before the other Champions swiftly intervened. Taric, Garen and Tryndamere leaped to Ahri's defense, crossing their swords with Riven's, as Ashe brought her weapon to bare on the enraged Noxian. A moment later, Graves and Katarina moved in to restrain Riven from behind.

"We should have won that match!" Riven screamed at the foxgirl. "I should be done with this place! I would be gone now if it wasn't for you!"

Terrified, Ahri could not find words to reply. With her back pressed against the column, she cast a desperate glance at Timeless, but she seemed content to do no more than watch the situation unfold, her face etched with that unnerving and all too familiar grin.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Riven bellowed as she strove to drive the weapon against Ahri with all her might. Only the combined strength of the other Champions kept her from doing so. But even still, the Noxian forced the blade just close enough to prick the skin on Ahri's neck. A small rivulet of blood crept down her pale skin as she stood there frozen in fear.

Soraka stepped forward and placed her hands along the dull edge of Riven's sword. "Riv. Please. Is this the kind of honor you wish to see returned to Noxus? To your home?"

"I have no home," she growled, not taking her eyes from the stricken foxgirl.

"And Lux?" Soraka added quietly.

Riven's gaze faltered. Presently, she let Soraka guide the sword away from Ahri. The other Champions stepped back as she returned her weapon to its harness. After a quick glance at the scoreboard, she rounded on Timeless, red eyes blazing. "All points favoring Noxus. As for points against Independents," she sent Ahri a glare that shot daggers. "Against Ionia!" With that, she turned and stormed out of the hall.

Graves let out a long puff of smoke once Riven was gone. "Well, she handled that better than I thought she would," he said, smiling around his cigar.

Ashe shot him a disapproving glare. "She's going to be a mess for a while."

"W-why did she do that?" Ahri stammered, wiping away the stream of blood that had nearly reached her collarbone. She paused a moment to study her crimson-soaked hand. "Is one game that big a deal? She'll still be done with her contract after her next win, right?"

No one responded for several moments. Soraka looked at Ahri and shook her head sadly.

Graves sighed. "Didn't read her contract..."

"You poor, poor dear," Taric lamented.

The grin widened on Timeless's face.

"Timeless," Garen said, sounding angry, "you brought a Champion here without explaining the specific details of her commitment? That hardly seems fair!"

"Ha!" Tryndamere laughed derisively . "Since when did Timeless start playing fair?"

"I-It's ok!" Ahri stammered. "Timeless told me about the hundred wins. But Riven is still only one away. I don't understand..."

The other Champions looked back and forth to each other. Soraka broke the silence. "Ahri... to complete your obligation to the League of Legends, your one hundred wins need to be _consecutive_. Riven is effectively back at zero."

The foxgirl looked at Soraka in stunned silence for a moment. " _C-consecutive?_ How could anyone win that many games in a row? That's impossible!"

"Then I hope you like it here Ahri," jeered Katarina. "You're going to be stuck with us for a long, long time!"


End file.
